About

Joe Nockels is Research Associate for the University of Sheffield's Digital Humanities Institute (DHI), responsible for developing and supporting the strategic research theme -Digital Representation of Cultural Artefacts, which sets out to advance the state-of-the-art in the digital capture, interpretation and representation of physical culture.

His research focuses on AI-enabled Automated Text Recognition (ATR) and its critical use on historical archives, and its impact on the information environment, memory institutions and their users. This has led to research partnerships with the Library of Congress and National Library of Scotland in foregrounding digital scholarship using such methods.

Other research interests include - libraries as 'third spaces', digital libraries, critical digitisation, AI sustainability within the Digital Humanities, text and data mining on religious heritage collections. Joe completed a PhD from the University of Edinburgh's School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures in 2025, supported by the University of Glasgow, National Library of Scotland and ATR cooperative READ/Transkribus. For more information, see the bio tab.

He also experiments modestly with image recognition, 3D modelling, geospatial data and digital methods for genealogical research.

Production Note:

This site builds on a WIX template, started in 14 px Avenir Light. The initially garish template was improved tenfold by my software developing partner - Ella, over a morning coffee. All views expressed are my own, and definitely not as polished as elsewhere - apologies.

Library Labs, Data Foundry and Handwritten Text Recognition

AI-enhanced Data Foundry header image, with welders - created in Runaway , with the prompt - “add 3 - 6 construction workers to the Forth Bridge structure, welding with sparks” “The following will be very cheeky. If you’re available … how do you fancy doing an impromptu lecture?” It’s nice to be trusted by your former academic supervisors, especially when they invite you to contribute to their newly minted course. In this case, the Library Studies MA delivered by the Univers

Nov 2418 min read

Thoughts from the BRAID Cultural Heritage Forum

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Responsible AI for Cultural Heritage Forum, supported by Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) and hosted by the School of Advanced Study (SAS) at Senate House Library. The day had multiple aims - 1) To soft-launch the RESHAPED platform, a set of AI workbenches and learning materials for cultural heritage practitioners, led by Dr Anna-Maria Sichani. 2) To discuss how to best engage with AI affordances and limitations, against

Nov 108 min read